The Padawan Tales
by Charlotte1
Summary: Before the Clone Wars there were four young Padawans who, despite their best efforts, never ceased to amaze their Masters with the amount of trouble they always found themselves in. Come read about Kayla, Rodeo, Warer and Redding! Please R


Title: The Padawan Tales 

Disclaimer: This wonderful universe was created by George Lucas; I'm just going to town on it and not making any money while I'm doing so

Summary: Kayla the passionate romantic, Rodeo the charming scoundrel, Warer the technologically brilliant kleptomaniac, and Redding the hilarious underdog were best friends as younglings, and despite being separated by the stars they still manage to keep in touch with one and other. Set before the Clone Wars, during a time of Galactic Peace; follow the adventures of these four Padawans and their unsuspecting Masters who manage to get themselves into all sorts of trouble.

The Padawan Tales 

Kayla Ishara: Match Maker

Master Deacon Alsayer stared incredulously across the scene of pandemonium that was unfolding before him with a certain degree of detachment. Chaos had long become a part of his life since he had decided to take on young Kayla Ishara as his Padawan learner. Aged only fourteen she was unbelievably talented at trouble making and although this quality had been appealing for the young Jedi Knight as he saw this trait reflected in his own personality, after three years of constant pandemonium his patience was wearing thin.

The tall Jedi was supposed to be meeting his young Padawan at the docking port so they could catch the transport heading out to the aqueous planetary system of Henara, but she had been delayed and now he could see why. The young man couldn't see through the mass of people, understandable as there was utter panic and people were screaming and running around aimlessly, though he could sense his Padawan at the centre of the chaos. With a heavy sigh he got to his feet and wrapped his cloak about himself before striding into the crowd. They parted from the tall menacing figure and within no time he had reached the heart of the problem. For a moment he was confused and he cocked his head to one side as his eyes fell on the messy scrap that was taking place on the ground. Kayla's dusty blue head tentacles were clearly visible from under a pile of unruly youths.

Deacon groaned and shut his eyes, before stepping forward and pulling the youths away by their legs and eventually a disgruntled looking Kayla emerged.

'What is going on here?' he asked sounding unimpressed. The fourteen-year-old Twi'lek was instantly on her feet glaring angrily at the most burly and dim-witted looking youth of the lot.

'_He_ assaulted me,' she hissed.

'I did not,' the unfortunate looking youth countered petulantly.

'You slapped me!' Kayla accused.

'It was a complement.'

'Silence,' Deacon interrupted calmly, before unfolding his arms and finally looking down at his Padawan with raised eyebrows. The colour in her cheeks deepened slightly, but none of that passionate resolve did. 'What happened?'

'He…' She trailed off and looked away.

'Kayla,' Deacon warned.

'He slapped my behind Master, it was embarrassing. I'm not an animal!' the girl complained angrily. Deacon furrowed his brow before slowly moving his steely gaze to the youth.

'Is this true?'

'As I said, it was a compliment,' the youth grumbled and he rubbed at his bleeding lip with a wince.

'Well as you can see the young lady did not take it as such, so I suggest you either apologise, or I shall let her finish you off,' Deacon said charmingly and he flashed a dashing smile at the youth.

'I'm sorry!" the youth quickly offered. Deacon nodded before looking back to Kayla, once more with eyebrows raised.

'Fine,' the girl grumbled and she crossed her arms.

'Very well, we must go or we will miss yet another transport on your account my young Padawan,' Deacon said, before looking up at the youth. 'As for you, hopefully you will learn from this. Women do not pander to distasteful behaviour so I would bare that in mind the next time you attempt to pay someone a compliment.'

'I will,' the boy assured before darting back into the crowd with his friends in pursuit.

'Stupid Port scum,' Kayla grumbled before turning on heal with Deacon by her side.

'Perhaps if you didn't dress so suggestively, you wouldn't attract the likes of that young man and his kind,' Deacon suggested cheerfully. Kayla's jaw dropped in true teenage defiance as she looked up at her master in surprise.

'Suggestively?' she repeated incredulously. 'Master I dress in the manner of my people, there is no shame in that!'

'Yes and your people work in bars and sordid strip clubs,' Deacon countered with a small smile. The outrage on his Padawan's face made him want to burst out laughing.

'Master…'

'Oh look. We've arrived,' Deacon suddenly announced and he presented his boarding card to the porter at the entrance to the small transport. Kayla quickly followed suit and regained a sense of calm as they made their way into the heart of the ship where their confined adjoining quarters could be found. The sight of the dusty confined quarters made the young Twi'lek sigh heavily.

'Master why couldn't we take the cruiser?'

'Because our presence in the Henara system is supposed to be a secret,' Deacon reminded her. 'Now we must rest and you my young Padawan ought to meditate.' Kayla fought the urge to roll her eyes and nodded.

'Yes Master.' Deacon raised his head in a half nod while he sized Kayla up, but seeing no mischief where there was normally plenty he felt reassured.

'No trouble.' With this he retired to his own quarters leaving Kayla alone in the grimy corridor. She heaved her bag into the small room and sat down on the lumpy bed.

'Damn Republic Transports,' she grumbled as she searched in her bag for her communicator. Her bag was as disorderly as ever and it took her a long time to find the communicator she was hoping she had packed. Finally her long fingers touched upon the metal device and she pulled it from the bag triumphantly. Within moments she had dialled the number of one of her best friends in the galaxy.

'Kayla!' the voice of Redding Castra came before the viewer kicked into action.

'Red,' Kayla cheered in response, happy to hear her once roommate's voice again.

'It's late kid, something wrong?' Redding asked and finally her tanned face came into view. In the background Kayla could see darkness outside the small window in the room her friend was staying in.

'Where are you?' Kayla asked with a frown. How long had it been since she spoken with Redding?

'Tattooine,' Redding groaned. 'Sand everywhere Kayla! I'm serious! The sand is driving me insane.' Kayla grinned.

'Master Onawa driving you hard?' she asked sympathetically.

'No, I just don't understand what we're doing here; she's being secretive again. Where are you?'

'On a transport, heading to the Henara system,' Kayla explained glumly. 'We're on another secret mission again. I think Master Alsayer is enjoying keeping me as far out in the outer rim as possible. Do you know where the boys are?'

'Rodeo is still on Coruscant overseeing the negotiations, and Warer is out of contact, we don't know where he's got to.'

'Or what he's got himself into,' Kayla added fondly, feeling a deep longing to be with her friends. They had been together as long as they could remember; when they turned eleven they were immediately chosen as Padawan learners as they were undoubtedly the most powerful younglings in their Set. They had since spent three years apart and it was starting to take its toll. They rarely had time to speak, and as they were often on secretive missions they were unreachable as Warer now was.

'Kaykay, I have to go. Master Onawa is stirring,' Redding suddenly said, breaking through Kayla's reverie. The young Twi'lek smiled at this familiarity, but felt saddened that she hadn't had longer to catch up with her friend.

'Of course,' she said putting on a brave front. 'I hope we'll talk soon, but I don't know how long we will have to maintain mission silence.'

'It's Warer's birthday in a month, I hope we're all back in Coruscant for it.' Kayla nodded in agreement and she sensed the same feeling of longing in her friend. 'Bye Kayla, take care of yourself.'

'You too Red, may the Force be with you.' And with that the smiling image of her best friend was gone, leaving Kayla feeling humbled. Master Alsayer would tell her it was a good thing she and her friends were drifting apart. He frequently reminded her about the dangers attachment could bring to a Jedi. Kayla didn't believe he knew what it was like to have friends, though this of course wasn't true and when Deacon had been a Padawan he had suffered similar heartache when he missed his Temple friends.

_If you are done now, I suggest you meditate Kayla,_ her Master's voice came in her mind.

_Were you listening in?_ Kayla returned suspiciously, though there was an undertone of affection in her voice.

_Always, _Deacon replied simply. _What concerns you concerns me. Don't worry, we will be back in Coruscant in a month's time. That is, if you can restrain yourself from getting into any more trouble._

_I will!_ Kayla quickly promised. She could bear his teasing if it meant she would be able to see all her friends in a month's time. The last time they had met up with all four of them had been at her own birthday, eight months ago.

We will meet for dinner in two hours, I am going to meditate… 

_And I shall do the same_, Kayla cut in fondly, wanting to put an end to his subtle and not so subtle hints.

_Very well,_ And with this Deacon's presence faded from her mind and for a moment she felt alone again. Perhaps he was right, friends were very capable of inadvertently playing havoc with your emotions and the last thing Kayla needed more of was emotions. The amount of times she had been dragged in front of the Council for losing it in one way or the other was now a tale of legend for the other younglings at the Temple. The Council had been wary of allowing Deacon, who was once a very temperamental Padawan himself, to take on Kayla, but they came to realise that Kayla would listen to him and now their partnership had had the added bonus of calming Deacon down considerably. They were a formidable pair and rarely failed at a mission.

Kayla calmed herself and shut her eyes ready to pass into her meditation state, but something pulled at her mind. For a long time she believed the niggling thoughts to be coming from her own psyche, but eventually she came to realise they were emanating from the above decks.

'There must be force sensitive people up there,' she uttered and opened her eyes, looking to the ceiling in slight agitation. 'How am I supposed to meditate with all their twittering?' With a heavy sigh she sat back on her heals and looked towards her Master's quarters. She could sense he was in a deep meditative state already. 'Great, well you could meditate through anything,' she grumbled and her shoulders drooped.

Why doesn't he like me? I try so hard… I'm too damn shy, she's never gonna fall for me… 

Kayla raised an eyebrow, her curiosity peaking slightly. Two distinct voices. Were they related? The thought was intriguing. Back at the temple the young girl had considered herself quite the matchmaker and although back in those days her subjects had been her ten-year-old peers, she loved the idea of matching people up – though she rarely got the chance as most of her peers were typical Jedi younglings and had their emotions in check, but every now and then Kayla would come across a couple of loose wires like herself and she would flourish.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, Kayla crept from the floor of her quarters and craned her neck attempting to hear anything that was going on upstairs, but there was nothing. With a nervous glance at her Master's quarters she concluded he was submerged enough in his own thoughts that she could dare to escape and within moments she was gone. It took her a long time to find a lift, and then even longer before she reached the corresponding quarters. Only now did the young Twi'lek stop and think, what was she doing? For a moment she leant against the wall and furrowed her brow.

'Too impulsive,' she admonished herself.

'Sanna! Sanna we have to go, stop being so prissy and just put anything on!' a man's voice came from the door directly opposite the Padawan. She just about managed to his her surprise at the familiar voice before a middle-aged man walked out into the corridor dressed for an evening at the only club on the transport. He didn't even give the shifty looking girl a second glance, he was well used to strange goings-on happening on these smaller Republic Transports. Kayla hung her head and reached out to sense whether this man was who she thought he was. Meanwhile the man had stalked to another door in the cramped corridor and began hammering on it. 'Sanna, come on girl! We'll be late for the others.' Eventually the door slid open and a pretty young woman stepped out. Instantly the man's bravado died down and he hung his head, his cheeks reddening.

'Calm down Lynden, I'm here,' the woman Kayla assumed was Sanna said graciously. Feeling very much like a snoop Kayla inched closer and reached out with her senses trying to reassure her gut feeling.

_Tell her you idiot, tell her she looks beautiful!_ Kayla raised an eyebrow, Lynden at least was the voice she had overheard earlier. The young girl shifted her attention to Sanna, who's smile was gradually falling from her face.

_He doesn't like it…I should change…_

'Come on, let's go,' Lynden suddenly said brusquely and he headed up the corridor leaving Sanna looking utterly downhearted. Kayla felt extremely sorry for her and watched intently as she followed the man she loved up the corridor. Once they had disappeared from sight Kayla retraced her steps to her room. Once inside she sat down on her bed and nodded her head slowly.

'Well we are going to be stuck on this transport for four days,' she pondered and she tilted her head to one side. 'Surely Master Alsayer won't mind all that much if I use my powers for good?' With one last decisive nod a large smile spread over the girl's pretty face, as she decided she would do it, she would take up match making again.

XXX

More innocent fun to come, please review, its always helpful and very motivating

Old favourites will feature in later chapters


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